A starter generally comprises an electric motor associated with drive means of the internal combustion engine. The drive means are most often adapted to be coupled to the movable components of the internal combustion engine during a start-up phase of said engine and to be decoupled from the internal combustion engine when said engine operates. To this end, the starter comprises an electromagnetic switch adapted, on the one hand, to control the power supply of the electric motor and, on the other hand, to control the coupling and decoupling of the drive means of the internal combustion engine. The drive means comprise a launcher, which is rotationally mobile about itself and which is movable by axial translation between a rest position and a drive position of the internal combustion engine. The launcher is then moved between its rest and drive positions by a lever operated by the electromagnetic switch.
More specifically, the invention relates to such an electromagnetic switch, also referred to as contactor, for a starter for a motor vehicle.
When implementing the starter, it is necessary to ensure that the gear of the launcher is properly engaged in the drive position before starting the electric motor. In effect, in the event of the incorrect engagement of the launcher when starting the electric motor, there is a major risk of damaging the launcher and/or the starter ring rigidly connected to the internal combustion engine.
For this reason, a need has arisen for an electromagnetic switch that ensures that the launcher is engaged in the drive position before the electric motor of the starter is started.